The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 08, August 22, 1840Various
History
The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 08, August 22, 1840
Various
Ireland -- Periodicals
I shall not trouble the reader with all the details of Johnny’s management
during the two last years, but shall very briefly notice those particulars
of husbandry which are new to my countrymen of the same class. He has not
subdivided the field, nor does he intend to do so, as he values every foot
of it too much for such waste. He does not keep a horse, nor will he do
so, unless his holding be increased; but he keeps a donkey and a
well-constructed cart. As yet he has no cow, not having his land in
sufficiently clean order for laying down any part of it with grasses; but
he has two yards full of pigs, which he keeps for the sake of the rich
manure they supply. I do not advocate his system altogether, but merely
relate the most striking features of it. His pig-yards are very
commodious, and well arranged for weaning, fattening, &c.; and his stock
now consists of a sow with ten young ones in one yard, and six store pigs
in another. These are in fine condition--fed on vetches, rye (of which the
grain is now, July 20, ripe), and wash, consisting of pollards and water;
their food next week, and for some time after, will be beans, ripe and
unripe, according to their successive stages. These pigs are now ten
months old, and have never been outside their yard, nor do they seem to be
(compared with pigs of the same age which have had the run of the common)
injured by confinement. Being always highly littered in the yard, having
the sleeping chamber kept perfectly clean, and being abundantly fed, they
sport about the straw, and seem quite contented. But without such care and
comfort young swine will certainly not thrive in imprisonment.
Johnny will fatten up these pigs in October for sale in November, with
barley-meal, pollards, toppings, and potatoes; and judging from his
success last year under similar circumstances, they will weigh (at the age
of fourteen months) nearly two cwt. each. He does not intend to sell any
of his ten young ones until they shall have been fattened in the same way;
but their mother will be put up as soon as possible after they shall be
weaned. He does not expect to realize any ready money by rearing and
fattening them; when sold, his stock will merely pay for their keep--he
considers the large quantity of valuable manure a sufficient return.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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